BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Patience and hard work paid off for Troy's Chase Davidson and Adam Tewksbury in a 7-2 win over UAB on Tuesday night at Regions Field.

Davidson wasn't in the pitching rotation at the beginning of the season, but worked his way through with solid performances at practice. He made his college debut against the Blazers, throwing six innings of one-hit shutout ball.

Davidson wasn't the only unlikely hero. Tewksbury, Troy's catcher who came into the game batting just .045 (1-for-22), went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.

The two are roommates and helped Troy (16-13) snap a 6-game losing streak against UAB (19-10).

"It's like I tell players all the time, if you just hang in there and do you work, keep going, keep improving, sooner or later you're going to do something really big or really good," Troy head coach Bobby Pierce said.

Matthew Howard's 2-run double in the first and Tewksbury's 2-out, 2-run triple in the third were the big hits in the early part of the game. The teams were scoreless in the middle innings before Tewksbury's RBI single in the seventh gave Troy a 7-0 lead.

"Any night's a good night to break out, but why not tonight," Tewksbury said. "I may not have ever hit (a triple). Maybe when I was 12. It was a surprise to me. They know I'm the slowest guy on the team."

Tewksbury said he originally cut down on his strikeouts, then couldn't find any holes. He found them in spacious Regions Field. His triple went down the left field line.

"He is a very hard worker and a very diligent worker, so tonight he got rewarded for that work," Pierce said. "Even with a triple, who would have (thought) it?"

Davidson (1-0), a junior college transfer from Shelton State, had not pitched this year until Tuesday. The righty struck out four in six innings and pitched around three walks. The only hit he allowed came on the second batter of the game for UAB (19-10) when Ivan De Jesus singled.

UAB's next hit didn't come until there were two outs in the bottom of the eighth. De Jesus' RBI single later in the inning off Austin Sullivan gave the Blazers their first run. Tyler Mims' RBI single in the ninth off Marc Skinner gave UAB its second run.

"Last Tuesday in an intra-squad (practice) is when I found out," Davidson said. "I threw well. Coach told me I was going to throw on Tuesday night and I was excited."

UAB has now lost two straight after winning the first two games of last weekend's series against then-No. 29 FIU.

"Baseball is a humbling game," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "As soon as you feel good about yourselves, tonight happens. Guys were feeling good about themselves and the first three innings come around and remind you that it's a very challenging game."

Sam Kelley (1-3) took the loss for UAB as he gave up four hits and three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings.

The last time Troy beat UAB in Birmingham came in 2010. Before that, it was in 1993.